1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-lethal ensnarement devices. More particularly, the non-lethal ensnarement devices of the present invention include a bola mechanism for capturing fleeing persons. Most particularly, the bola mechanism of the present invention may be used in standard firearms used by military and police forces.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Bolo shotgun rounds are commercially available. One type of bolo shotgun round contains 3 rubber balls connected by cord. These rounds are fired from a standard 12 gauge shotgun. Problematic with this type of round is that the 3 rubber balls have a tendency to fly together until they impact the object, thereby minimizing the bolo effect, i.e., wrapping around the target. One attempt to overcome this problem is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,737 to Washington. The Washington patent discloses a specialized firearm snare device having a Y-shaped member for receiving a pair of projectiles connected by a flexible line. The firearm provides divergent barrels to separate the bola device on firing. As such, Washington requires the specialized firearm configurations for proper functioning of the bola device for dispersing two parts of a bola away from each other.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved bola launcher that provides reliable bola deployment when fired from standard firearms. The present invention addresses this and other needs.
The present invention includes a bola deployment device for launching a bola from a firearm comprising a housing member forming a chamber therein, a plurality of tubular segments forming hollow cylinders therethough between a first and second end, the tubular segments attached to the housing member at the first end forming an open conduit between the hollow cylinders and housing member chamber, the second end forming an open conduit with the outside of the tubular segment, wherein the housing member provides an angular separation of the tubular segments and means for stowing connecting cords.
The present invention also includes a method for launching a bola device from a firearm comprising the steps of providing a bola deployment device for launching a bola from a firearm comprising a housing member forming a chamber therein, a plurality of tubular segments forming hollow cylinders therethough between a first and second end, the tubular segments attached to the housing member at the first end forming an open conduit between the hollow cylinders and housing member chamber, the second end forming an open conduit with the outside of the tubular segment, wherein the housing member provides an angular separation of the tubular segments and means for stowing connecting cords, attaching the housing member onto the end of the firearm, combining a bola having a plurality of weighted ends connected by cord to the bola deployment device, wherein each weighted end is inserted into the second end of one of the tubular segments and the cord is stowed by the means for stowing connecting cords and firing a blank charge from the firearm, wherein the force of the blank charge transits through the housing member and forces the bola out of the tubular segments, causing the weighted ends of the bola to effectively separate from one another prior to target contact.
Additionally, the present invention includes a deployed bola product produced by the process comprising the steps of providing a bola deployment device for launching a bola from a firearm comprising a housing member forming a chamber therein, a plurality of tubular segments forming hollow cylinders therethough between a first and second end, the tubular segments attached to the housing member at the first end forming an open conduit between the hollow cylinders and housing member chamber, the second end forming an open conduit with the outside of the tubular segment, wherein the housing member provides an angular separation of the tubular segments and means for stowing connecting cords, attaching the housing member onto the end of the firearm, combining a bola having a plurality of weighted ends connected by cord to the bola deployment device, wherein each weighted end is inserted into the second end of one of the tubular segments and the cord is stowed by the means for stowing connecting cords and firing a blank charge from the firearm, wherein the force of the blank charge transits through the housing member and forces the bola out of the tubular segments, causing the weighed ends of the bola to effectively separate from one another prior to target contact, wherein contact with the target results in an entangled object with the bola.